# Shining Force II: The Ancient Sealing ## Overview *Shining Force II* is a monumental tactical role-playing game that expands upon its predecessor in every way. The story begins when a thief named Slade steals the Jewels of Light and Dark, breaking an ancient seal and paving the way for the resurrection of the long-imprisoned demon king, Zeon. Players take on the role of Bowie, a young student from the kingdom of Granseal and the appointed leader of a new Shining Force. He must assemble a diverse army of heroes and journey across an expansive world to thwart Zeon's minions and prevent the world from being plunged into eternal darkness. ## Background Released for the Sega Genesis in 1993, *Shining Force II* is a standalone sequel that is often hailed as one of the greatest strategy RPGs of all time. While it takes place in the same world as the first game, it features an entirely new story and cast of characters. Developed to be bigger and better than the original, it boasts a longer quest, a larger roster of playable characters, more complex battles, and greater freedom of exploration. Its combination of charming character design, an epic story, and deeply engaging gameplay solidified the *Shining Force* series as a flagship RPG franchise for Sega. ## Gameplay *Shining Force II* refines the beloved gameplay formula of the original. The game seamlessly blends top-down RPG-style exploration with grid-based tactical combat. Players guide Bowie and his army across a world map, visiting towns to buy gear and recruit new allies. When battle commences, the player strategically commands up to 12 units on a large battlefield. Each character has unique skills, and success depends on smart positioning, exploiting enemy weaknesses, and using terrain to your advantage. Characters earn experience points to level up, and at level 20, they can be promoted to more powerful classes with enhanced abilities. The scale of the adventure is massive, offering dozens of hours of classic strategic combat.